SIUE senior’s global dream becomes reality

SIUE public health major Tatyana Curtis has received a $2,000 award to support her participation in a summer travel study in Uganda.

International travel and service are life-changing experiences for those aspiring to shape a changing world. Embarking on such a journey as a college student is perhaps the best time in life to gain cultural experience and undergo personal transformation. But funding such expeditions can be challenging.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville senior public health major Tatyana Curtis of Sycamore is now able to fulfill her global travel dreams and build skills toward a career as a nurse epidemiologist, thanks to her receipt of a Global Engagement Award from the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education.

The $2,000 award will support her five-week trip to Uganda in summer 2020 through a travel study offered by the public health, and speech-language and audiology programs in the SIUE School of Education, Health and Human Behavior.

“I am amazed to have received this scholarship, as I’m certain there were plenty of deserving applicants,” said Curtis, who has interest in working with Doctors without Borders. “I want to become a nurse epidemiologist. Going to Uganda will allow my cultural competency to expand drastically.”

This marks the second consecutive year an SIUE student has received a NADOHE Global Engagement Award; the first time was a joint global scholarship with NADOHE and Insight Into Diversity. The award opens opportunities for traveling abroad.

“We are delighted and grateful to have our students benefit from this opportunity,” said Venessa A. Brown, founding associate chancellor and chief diversity officer in the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion. “Many thanks to SIUE’s study abroad advisers for encouraging students to apply, and to our faculty for writing letters of support. The more our students can go abroad, the richer our campus will be as we unite in our mission to shape a changing world.”

Public health graduate program director and associate professor Michelle Cathorall strongly supported Curtis’ award candidacy, highlighting her as one of the program’s top students, and applauding her commitment as an executive board member of the Health Education Honorary Society.

“Our trip to Uganda is truly once in a lifetime for participating students, and, unfortunately, I have seen too many students with a desire and interest not be able to go due to costs,” Cathorall said. “We have worked hard to develop an academically challenging research experience for participants, combined with a unique cultural experience that includes working with Ugandan college students, living in the dorm, and both cultural and sightseeing excursions, including a safari as the trip’s finale.”

“Funds from this award will give Tatyana the opportunity to work with a community in rural Uganda collecting epidemiological data on malaria, moving her one step closer to her career goal,” she added.

Curtis will receive her Global Engagement Award during a ceremony March 13 in San Diego.